Conference networking system incorporating social networking site information

Abstract

A method for facilitating networking among attendees at a conference is provided. The method includes receiving over a wide-area network a user profile from a user who has registered for at least one conference selected from among a plurality of conferences. The user profile includes a username for at least one social networking site. The user profile is stored in a database that includes a plurality of user profiles for a plurality of attendees who have registered for at least one of the plurality of conferences. The user is granted access to the database over the wide-area network, including access to a profile on the social networking site associated with the username.

1 . A method for facilitating networking among attendees at a conference, comprising:
 receiving over a wide-area network a user profile from a user who has registered for at least one conference selected from among a plurality of conferences, wherein the user profile includes a username for at least one social networking site;   storing the user profile in a database that includes a plurality of user profiles for a plurality of attendees who have registered for at least one of the plurality of conferences; and   granting the user access to the database over the wide-area network, including access to a profile on the social networking site associated with the username.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving over the wide-area network information pertaining to each of the plurality of conferences from one or more conference organizers of the conferences;   storing the information in a second database; and   granting the user access to the information in the second database.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the information includes a time, place and subject matter associated with at least one event to take place during each of the conferences. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the information further includes recreational activities available to attendees of at least one of the conferences. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising presenting, upon user request, a conference map to the user on which event location information is included. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user profile includes a plurality of fields populated by the user, and further comprising restricting access to each of the fields based on user preference. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein different fields are restricted to different subsets of conference attendees. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a search request from the user to identify at least one individual who meets at least one criterion specified by the user;   searching the database to identify any individuals who have a user profile that meets the at least one criterion;   presenting to the user over the wide-area network contact information for any individuals who are identified.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the individual is a conference attendee. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the individual is associated with a conference attendee through the social networking site and further wherein searching the database includes searching the social networking site to identify the individual using social networking usernames of the conference attendees. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user profile includes a professional affiliation of the user and at least one recreational interest of the user. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising recommending to the user at least one event, activity or attendee associated with the at least one conference based at least in part on the user profile and the information pertaining to the at least one conference received from the conference organizer. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising recommending to the user other conferences of potential interest based on the user profile. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising presenting, upon user request, a calendar on which the plurality of conferences are included. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising presenting a link on a web page that offers users a first service, the link connecting users to a second web page through which they can access the conference networking service that facilitates networking among the attendees at the conference. 
   
   
       16 . A conference networking system, comprising:
 a server having a network interface for establishing communication over a wide-area network;   a first database configured to store information pertaining to a plurality of conferences;   a second database configured to store information including a plurality of user profiles of conference attendees of each conference, at least one of the user profiles including a username for at least one social networking site; and   a search engine for searching the first and second databases and a second user profile on the social networking site associated with the username.   
   
   
       17 . The conference networking system of  claim 16  further comprising a recommendation engine for generating recommendations tailored to individual conference attendees based at least in part on their respective user profiles. 
   
   
       18 . The conference networking system of  claim 17  wherein the recommendations include at least one event, activity or conference attendee associated with one of the conferences. 
   
   
       19 . The conference networking system of  claim 18  wherein the recommendations further include an individual associated with the conference attendee through the social networking site. 
   
   
       20 . The conference networking system of  claim 16  wherein the server presents a calendar on which the plurality of conferences are included.